Illuminating device



Dec. 21, 1937. VAN E N 2,102,928

ILLUMINATING DEVICE Filed Aug. 15, 19:55

Patented-Dec.- 21-, 1937 UNI- ED, STATES PATENT "OFFICE nmuamwrme DEVICE Barry D. Van Lcunen, Wichita, Kane. Application August 15, 1935, Serial No. 36,434

30laims.

My invention relates to an improvement in lighting equipment and refers more particularly to lighting equipment such as used for headlights on power driven vehicles.

5 Heretofore, headlights have been composed chiefly of a light source and a reflector for directing and focusing the rays of light originating at the light source and the focusing of the rays of light have been supplemented by prisms of l varying shapes and sizes which have been set at various positions, all of which have been dependent upon the peculiarities of the lighting device in question. However in all of these devices the light has been projected forward and lo the range of spread of light has been such that the light is projected directly into the eyes of a person who may be facing or approaching the light, and due to this fact, the person becomes blinded from the light and becomes unable to 20. retain his bearings or line of travel to an extent where he is confident or where he can depend with certainty on his exact line of travel, and as a result-of this, many accidents occur. Therefore it is obvious that if a lighting equip 25 ment could be produced that would amply light ahead, and devoid ofthe glaring effect above described, the device would be both valuable and useful.

. In view of the foregoing explanation; the ob- 30 .iect of my invention is to provide an illuminating device having a source of light and a means for reflecting the light and directing the light for illuminating. the pathway ahead and in addition thereto, a means of shielding the" light so that 35 it'is not visible above a certain predetermined line.

A still further obie'ctis to provide a device of the kind mentioned in which rays of light directed in a direction where theywould bevalue- 40 less are returned to the reflector in the device where they are directed in the desired 'direction for illumination.

These and other objects will be more fully explained as this description progresses.

45 Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 'is a. vertical sectional view through the device. Fig. .2, is an a enlarged perspective detailof the shield arrange- -ment. Fig, 3 is \a horizontal, sectional view through the lens. Fig. 4 is a vertical. sectional 50. view through a modified formpfthe reflector and shield. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through still another modification of'the device. Fig. 6

is a vertical sectional view through a light bulb in which the invention-is embodied. Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view through "the lensand a pathway ahead has been properly and there-has been no loss ,of light.

modified form of the shield. Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view through a light bulb in which additional details of the invention are embodied. Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view through a lens having varying size prisms and also showing the 5 position of the shields in relation to the lens and the beam of light produced thereby.

In the drawing, similar numerals of reference refer to the same parts throughout the several figures. 10

Referring to Fig. 1 in which is shown the principle of the invention. At It) is represented the source of light, which is within the confines of a reflecto'r H, the front of which is covered with a prismatic lens l2, in front of which is positioned a.series of shields l3 and. M, which is composed of a series of opaque strips l3-l3x, and I 4 -l4.2:, said strips I 3 and its being spaced I apart in the same plane and the opaque strips I4 and Ma: being spaced apart in the same plane, but the two planes containing. the strips i3l3.'c and M-Jla: are spaced apart and are positioned on .opposite sides of a focus point l5, produced by the lens l2.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the light is produced at the source I0 and'is cast on the reflector II, as illustrated by the lines l6 and the reflector ll reflects-the light in parallel horizontal beams as illustrated by the lines H. The beams I1 pass through the lens I 2 which contains the prisms I8 which causes the light to be broken up in a series of'beams of light, each of which focuses at a point l5 which is positioned between the shields l3 and H as previously described. The beams of light projected fromthe lens I! are in the form 5 'of' a wedge shape as illustrated at a and a in Fig. 2, and focus at a line l5 l5, and continue from the line lS-li in the same form as represented at bb', the upper lines I9 of the beam of light traveling in a horizontal direction, and 4,0

the lower lines 20 of the beam of light traveling in a downward direction. 1

It is obvious from theforegoing description that thegeneral trend of the beam of light is in a downward direction and has passed through the open *spaces 13;: "and" a in the shields. Slnce the light was focusedon the line li-liand the shields I3-i3a': and ll-Ma: are positioned to meet the lines defined to meet the light, it is obvious that no light has been stopped and the beam of light has been projected, the same asif the shields were not there. Consequently the Now assuming, that a person is approaching illuminated ,1

vision will pass through the slits a and will fall upon the shield I32: which is opaque and therefore stops the view and the person approaching the light cannot see the reflector nor the source of light, consequently there is no glare from the light experienced by the person approaching the light.

While the illustration in Fig. 2 deals with a single beam of light, it is obvious, as shown in Fig. I that there are numerous duplicate beams of light projected from the device which .merge into a single beam of light 22-2241: which bears all of the characteristics of that described for Fig. 2. e

The description of the beam of light has been in reference to the vertical section of the beam of light that-has been projected forward. Now it is desirable to spread the beam of light sideways. This is accomplished by a series of'vertically positioned flutes or prisms 23 which are formed on the front side of the lens I! as illustrated in Fig. 3. c

In Fig. 5 is illustrated a reflector iia: which is provided with a series of curved portions, each of which will reflect a focused beam of light, the focuspoint being at I51: and is positioned between the shields i3 and I! as previously described and the effect of the shields I3 and- I4 is the same as described .in Figs. 1 and 2. It will be understood that in this device there is no lens and the reflector functions to focus the beams of light so that the lens is not necessary. In Fig. 4 is shown the same reflector Ila: and the shield is, composed of the elements it as previously described and the opaque portions of the shield. i3 as described in Fig. 2 are curved as at i311 in Fig. 4, and the faces facing the-light source Ilia: are reflectors and are so positioned as to reflect light from the light source back to the light source and onto the reflector iix from where it is reflected through the openings in the shields to form the diverging beam of light the same as previously described.

In Fig. '7 is shown the lens i2 having the prism i8 as previously'described which receive the parallel beams of light I! and project and focus them as previously described. The shields Ma and i3?) are formed preferably of sheet metal strips set in V shaped positions, outlining the converging beams of light, and having a space I3c therebetween to permit the passage and projection of the beam of light. The dotted lines 2ia represent the line of vision of a person'- approaching the light and it is obvious that z the visionlis stopped by the plates ila so that the reflector or light source is concealed from view.

In Fig. 9 is. shown a lens l2 having'a. series of jvarying size prisms Ila, I81), and lie which focuses the beam of light similar to that previjbusly described, and at i3 and ii are shown the shields as previously described and provided with slits Ila and Ila through which the beam' of light is projected. The lines lib represent'the lines ofvision of a person approaching the light and again it is obvious that the lines of vision may pass through the slits Ila and fall on the opaque portions I31 where the vision is stopped and the reflector and light source is again concealed from .view.

Now referring to Fig. 6, this figure shows a vertical section of a light bulb, the walls of which are opaque with the exception'of the portion i3d which will transmit light. The bulb is silvered to act as a reflector and the light source is at the point ifla and the light developed at the point la is cast on the walls lid of the light bulb which reflect the light in a converging beam that focuses in the point i3d and continues in a diverging beam 22y, the top edge of which travels in a horizontal plane while the lower edge of which travels in a downwardly direction and the light source and the reflector of the bulb are concealed from view, the same as previously described. v

In Fig. 8 is shown a vertical section of v a light bulb, the walls of which are opaque except at the portion i3e which is transparent and will permit the passage and projection of light. The walls i lb of the bulb are silvered for the purpose of reflecting light. The bulb is made with the walls having a series of curved faces iic' which are also silvered as a reflector, and are adapted to reflect light originating at the light source iiib and back to the light source and from there on to the walls lib from where the light is remy invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is;

1. In an illuminating device, means for producing a beam of parallel rays of light, a lens having prisms each converging a portion of the light to a focus with the foci lying in a vertical plane, and shield means comprising a pair of vertical, axially spaced apart, plates disposed one forwardly of the foci and the other rearwardly thereof, each plate having a series of horizontal slots with the upper edge of. each slot in one plate in a horizontal plane with the lower edge of its companion slot in the'other plate; said slots being so arranged asto permitall the parallel rays refracted by the prisms to pass unobsstru cted thru the slots.

2.-In an illuminating device, means for producing a beam of parallel rays of light, a lens having a series of prisms of varying size each converging a portion of the lightto a focus with the 1001 all lying in a vertical plane, and shield means comprising a pair of axially spaced apart, vertical, plates disposed one forwardly of the foci and the other rearwardly thereof, each plate having a series of horizontal slots of varying width co-acting with companion size prisms, said slots being arranged with the lower edge of each slot in the rear plate in the same horizontal plane with the upper edge of its companion slot in the front plate and permitting all the parallel rays refracted by the prisms'to pass unobstructed thru the slots.

, 3. In a headlight, a casing, a source of light, a parabolic reflector in the casing for reflecting the light in parallel ray.- of light, a lens supported in the'casing at the front of the reflector having prisms each converging a portion of the.

light to 'a focus with the foci lying in a single vertical plane, and shield means supported by in the same horizontal plane with the lower edge the casing comprising axially spaced apart vof its companion opaque portion in the front shields disposed one forwardly of the foci and shield member; said slots being so arranged as to the other rearwardly thereof, each shield having permit all the parallel rays refracted by the a series. of horizontal opaque portions providing prisms to pass unobstructed thru the slots,

a series of horizontal slots with the upper vedge of each opaque portion in the rear shield member HARRY D. VAN LEUNEN. 

